The present invention relates to retail display cases and, in particular, to a modular product support rack for a produce case. The rack can be added to a variety of types and dimensioned cases and can be configured and re-arranged to accommodate a wide variety of product displays.
Varieties of display assemblies have been developed to support numerous types of retail and grocery commodities. Such assemblies can comprise free-standing wire and shut formed assemblies or enclosed case assemblies. When used to display perishables, for example, dairy or produce items, case assemblies typically include various mechanical support equipment, such as lighting, refrigeration units, sprayers, chillers and plumbing drains. The attendant walls and support surfaces of the assembly are constructed to be tolerant to the application.
Over time, the dimensions of many of these display cases have become standardized. Consequently the product support racks, which are used to support and segment the case interiors, are constructed to fixed dimensions and configurations. These racks may be purchased from the display case manufacturer or in the after-market.
For produce grocers, fixed dimension product support racks contain inherent disadvantages. Specifically, the limited selection of support racks limits the manner and number of display permutations a grocer can construct to display its produce. They also necessitate the purchase of separate support racks for each case and for each different type of desired display arrangement. Frequently it is also necessary to purchase separate special purpose display attachments. The net result is that the grocer is subjected to higher capital equipment costs and greater numbers of racks that must be inventoried.
Some rack inserts provide a degree of adjustability, such as hinged, cantilevered arms which permit converting horizontal support surfaces to angular supports. Some provide lateral end walls or dividers and longitudinal dividers. However, a relatively limited number of adjustments and display permutations are provided by these racks.
In appreciation of the foregoing limitations of commercially available produce display racks, the subject invention provides a modularly configured, assembly, which is re-configurable within any number of varieties of standard produce cases. Some twelve different types of conventional display mountings are readily obtained with minor modification to the arrangements of the rack components. Numerous other configurations are also possible as desired.